Cricket Stars Are Over a Quarter of the Way to Fund-Raising Target 10/09/13

Cricket Stars Are Over a Quarter of the Way to Fundraising Target – 10/09/13 Cyclists aiming to raise £ 200,000 for two charities this October Organisers of a charity bike ride aiming to raise £ 200,000 for two cricketing charities are a quarter of the way to their target with just over a month to go. The Big Bike Ride will see a host of cricketers, administrators and fans of the game embark on a gruelling 441 mile point-to-point ride between Durham and London. Along the way, riders will bypass a number of England’s leading cricket grounds, including the Emirates, Headingley, Old Trafford, Trent Bridge and Lord’s. The object of the ride, which starts on 18 October 2013, is to raise £ 200,000 for the Tom Maynard Trust (TMT) and the Professional Cricketers’ Association’s Professional Cricketers’ Trust. And with five weeks to go until the event begins, organisers say they are on course to meet their targets. PCA Assistant Chief Executive, Jason Ratcliffe, who sits as a trustee of the Professional Cricketers’ Trust and the TMT, said, ” We’ve currently raised over £ 66,000, which is a geat achievement – but there is a long way to go. ” We’re asking fans of cricket to dig deep and support our riders for two fabulous causes that really need their support. ” The riders will be doing the hard work, but members of the public can also join in by pledging all they can.” Among the current and former cricketers taking part are England hero Darren Gough, England one day star Jos Buttler, Somerset’s Marcus Trescothick, Essex’s Graham Napier, Surrey’s Gareth Batty, Middlesex’s James Harris, and Durham’s Phil Mustard. They will be joined by a host of fellow county professionals and cricket administrators, including CEO and Chairman of Surrey CCC and Somerset CCC, Richard Gould, Richard Thompson, Guy Lavender and Andy Nash, as well as Tom’s father, former Glamorgan batsman, Matt and his sister Ceri. Tom Maynard Trust was set up in 2012 following the tragic loss of Surrey star Tom. It aims to help the development of aspiring, disadvantaged cricketers and other sports people requiring support in their careers. The Professional Cricketers’ Trust was founded by the PCA to help current and former players and their dependants in times of hardship, upheaval, or to readjust to the world beyond the professional game. In order to help riders, supporters can log on to their BT Donate pages here: http://thepca.co.uk/confirmed-riders.html Among the additional county cricketers taking part in the ride are Dean Cosker and Mark Wallace of Glamorgan, Richard Coughtrie and Hamish Marshall of Gloucestershire, and Lee Daggett and James Middlebrook of Northamptonshire. They will be joined by Jaik Mickleburgh and Tim Phillips of Essex, Matt Boyce of Leicestershire, Matt Coles of Kent and Darren Maddy of Warwickshire. The event is being generously supported by the headline sponsors Brewin Dolphin, as well as Buxton Water, Trek Bycycle Coventry and Cotswold Cycles. Additional support is also being offered by Jaguar, who have donated 3 XF Sportsbrakes with roof racks, which will provide transport for the mechanics and support staff on the route each day. For more information on the Tom Maynard Trust, visit www.tommaynardtrust.com/ For more information on the PCA Professional Cricketers’ Trust, visit www.thepca.co.uk/benevolent_fund.html or click here to view the following video featuring Mark Nicholas. About our Sponsors: Brewin Dolphin is one of the UK’s largest independently-owned private client investment managers. They have 38 offices throughout the United Kingdom and Channel Islands, offering a wide range of financial services and have £ 28 billion under management. Their success is founded on their long track record of helping private clients, trusts,charities and pension funds to create and preserve wealth. Trek Bicycle Coventry is the largest sole Trek stockist in the Midlands. They are your home for everything Trek – not just bikes, clothing, parts, accessories, and spares; but also information and inspiration too! Their brand new, purpose-built store is located within Leekes Coventry, with 3,500 square feet of wall-to-wall Trek and other cycle-related products. Their ethos is providing the right advice to help you get the most from your cycling. Cotswold Cycles exists to support cyclists in the North Cotswolds with all their cycling related needs. Located in the Cotswold Business Village, Moreton-in-Marsh, they sell a comprehensive range of bikes, accessories and clothing. A full bike servicing, repair and custom-build service is available in their workshop, which is staffed by CYTECH-qualified mechanics. Buxton Water is the Official Water Supplier to the England cricket teams. The company, which first became an ECB partner in 2008, will continue as the exclusive supplier of bottled water to the England men’s and women’s cricket team for all home international matches until the end of the 2013 season. Jaguar is the official vehicle supplier of the England cricket team. All of England’s centrally contracted players drive one of their XJ, XK or XF models. Jaguar also has a strategic partnership with the ECB’s National Cricket Performance Centre. This association forms part of Jaguar’s long-term commitment to British sport under the umbrella of the ‘Jaguar Academy of Sport’, which aims to recognise, celebrate and inspire the very best of British sporting talent and success. Here is the full list of past and present cricketers taking part in the Big Bike Ride: Gareth BattySurrey CCC Matt BoyceLeicestershire CCC Jos ButtlerSomerset CCC Dan CherryGlamorgan CCC Matt Coles Kent CCC Dean CoskerGlamorgan CCC Richard CoughtrieGloucestershire CCC Darren CousinsEssex CCC,Northants CCC & Kent CCC Lee DaggettNorthants CCC Andrew FlintoffLancashire CCC Darren GoughYorkshire CCC & Essex CCC Richard GrantGlamorgan CCC James HarrisMiddlesex CCC David HarrisonGlamorgan CCC Darren MaddyWarwickshire CCC Hamish MarshallGloucestershire CCC Tim Mason Essex CCC Matt MaynardGlamorgan CCC Jaik MickleburghEssex CCC James MiddlebrookNorthants CCC Gary MontgomeryWarwickshire CCC Alex MorrisHampshire CCC & Yorkshire CCC Alan MullallyHampshire CCC & Leicestershire CCC Charlie MulraineWarwickshire CCC Tony MurphyLancashire CCC & Surrey CCC Phil MustardDurham CCC Graham NapierEssex CCC Tim Phillips Essex CCC Ian ThomasGlamorgan CCC Marcus TrescothickSomerset CCC Mark WallaceGlamorgan CCC Matthew WoodGlamorgan CCC & Yorkshire CCC For more information, please call David Leatherdale on 07990558681 or email dleatherdale@thepca.co.uk {{ak_sharing}} Lead Sponsor: Sponsors: